I haven't had a moan for a while, but again Optus has come to the rescue and given me something to complain about...

Last Thursday I called about some trouble we were have with our telephone line. The guy from Optus was actually extremely helpful. He ran all sorts of tests, checked this, checked that, and finally came to the conclusion that one of my phone sockets needed to be physically checked and possibly replaced.

Fine. Glad we got that sorted out.

He asked me when it would be convenient to have a linesman come check it. Tomorrow (Friday), between 8am and 12 noon?

Great service, but unfortunately I'd be out Friday. We settled on Wednesday (today) between 8am and 12 noon. He even gave me a reference number for the RESERVATION.

The next morning (Friday) as we were just leaving the house, a linesman turned up to look at the phone socket. Unfortunately he was several days early. I explained this and he said he'd have them reschedule the booking for Wednesday.

Wednesday at 8am, and I was up ready and waiting for the linesman, and by 12 noon I was on the phone to Optus asking why he hadn't shown up.

After 45 minutes on the phone (most of the time was spent identifying myself again and again to different people by answering the questions: Name, Address, Phone Number etc) I learned the following facts:

1 - Apparently, the person I spoke to on Thursday and made the reservation with didn't put it in the system. Maybe he forgot.

2 - Even though he didn't put the booking in the system (which would then generate a reference number) a technician turned up the next day to fulfill the booking.

3 - The person who made the reservation with me (for Wed 8-12) could not have possibly done that because the booking would have been "Anytime between July 22 and July 28".

4 - The technician who turned up on Friday, and said he'd reschedule the reservation for Wednesday, apparently also forgot to put the booking in the system.

5 - Would I like to cancel the reservation for a technician to come tomorrow (Thursday) between 8-12? I hadn't made a reservation so how could I cancel that? Well, the person I was speaking to had made it for me... would I like to cancel it?

6 - If I want to speak to a supervisor, I need to put in a request and he will call me back within 24 hours. (Unless they forget to put that reservation in their system too, I guess).

Hopefully, they won't forget because I really want to get to the bottom of this and find out (as Seinfeld puts it) if they understand what the most important part of the RESERVATION really is.

Looks like some Australian magicians have come up with creative ways to supplement their incomes...

Joel Bauer would be proud!

EXAMPLE 1: One website offering clients magicians based in Melbourne (run by a magician located on the other side of the country) is covered in pictures of magicians from every city except Melbourne. If you click the link to see the selection of magicians they have available to hire, other than the two interstaters who seem to run the company, there are none. Just a note inviting prospective magicians to sign up to get listed on the site for a joining fee of $375 and a yearly fee of $495. They promise guaranteed gigs, sponsorships, access to new tricks and invites to VIP events.

EXAMPLE 2: One of the magicians featured on that site is offering an intensive seminar for people interested in learning how to pick up women with magic. The two day seminar includes evening sessions where you go out and test your new found powers actually picking up women in night clubs and bars.

EXAMPLE 3: A new organisation has been formed in Sydney "devoted to the advancement of magic in Australia" and to teach magic to kids. It offers holiday programs from $180 for 2 days or you can join the club for $119.50. If you are really serious you can get a 4 day professional consultancy with a magician where you will create a professional magic show and be guaranteed bookings. If you can't afford that, for $750 you can travel to a gig with a magician and see how they set everything up "backstage".

The world's first online magic convention has just ended and, if you weren't signed up for THE ESSENTIAL MAGIC CONFERENCE then you can go here to fantastic THE MAGIC CONVENTION GUIDE to read in depth coverage of this amazing event.

With an 80% "epic" rating it's no surprise they've announced it will be back again next year!